Dog Tales 5

[larrynz]

Buttons
Perhaps I will start with a very odd dream, it was after Space had died. I am walking along the road, Space beside me, after a while I am aware he has gone, instead is this reddish brown dog, I walk along some more and this dog is still there, I say “I will have to call you red”. At this the dog rolls on his back, the teats are like a dog that has had pups, I say “I will have to call you Buttons” Months later my daughter Jean rings me up, can I take in a young dog it needs a home, I say yes and she brings it home, it was the dog from the dream, so that is how she got the name Buttons. As I write this she lays across my feet.
Dreams are often seen as a mixture of past and present, thoughts and wishes, that one featured both Space and Buttons, a transition.
When Space died I had a lot of trouble breathing when I buried him, it sort of marked an end of an era, from then on I lived a slower pace, Button fitted in with that slower pace very well, she is a lot less active, smaller, enjoys walks and swims, but not as often as Space.
Her first swim was funny, we were walking along the beach, when we came to a boat ramp she went down a little way having a paddle, then stepped off the edge into deep water, the fear on her face as she franticly splashed her way back to land. Once ashore she shook herself, looked at the water, looked at me, smiled (true) and jumped right back in.
She is every bit as affectionate, offers companionship the same as Space, a dog for my time of life. She was 4 months when I got her, took her to the vet for her shots, he remarked at the time that she had bonded to me very fast, it was like she had always been by my side.
She sure has some odd ways, when I sit at the kitchen table she hops onto my lap, all 55 pounds of her, she started that as a pup and has never grown up, in fact she likes to sit on a kitchen chair to watch me when I am cooking etc (see rogues gallery. The lounge is different, there she sits beside me, a fairly big chair.
The only dog I have ever owned that smiles, usually if I have been out with out her, I get this big beaming smile when I return.
Buttons is very much a one man dog, unhappy if I am not around, very defensive of me, shortly after I got her we were out walking and came across another dog with her pup, this dog threatened me, I have no doubt in defense of her pup. Buttons was young herself at the time and half the size but she attacked to defend me and put the other dog in retreat.
Her desire to be by my side included the bed, but she was unable to jump that high, the bed has a drawer under so is a bit high, she kept trying but ended up in a heap on the floor, one day she took a run from down the hall, picked up great speed and leapt. She made the bed OK but could not stop, went across the bed off the other side and into the wall on the far side. Buttons never tried again for a long time.
You often find that a dog that has a bad start in life has heath problems, one of the first things I noticed as she grew was part of her teeth have poor enamel, the lower half look bright and strong, this represents the time I got her and gave her good food. She had never had meat or dog food, I know that because she never recognized it as food, potato and rice would be eaten right away. I soon got her onto decent food but to this day she has a funny tummy and a murmur in her heart.
Looking back all our dogs have been different and all offered unconditional love. Her smile is impressive but every time I reach for the camera she stops, one day.

[morningstar]

Larry,

I still say you should write a book. Great story. Great Dog.

Thanks for sharing, Rose

[cheryl]

Larry,

She sounds like a wonderful companion. You don't mention how old she is -- I hope she's with you for a long time.

[larrynz]

Cheryl she will be 7 this year, time goes past real quick

[cheryl]

She's still a youngin. Lots of years left with her. I'm so glad.